Hoof-pad.



No. 690,482. Patentedlan. 7, I902.

A.v G. TAPPE.

HOOF PAD.

A lication filed Feb. 23, 1901.

(No Model.)

Figs].

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST O. TAPPE, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

HOOF-PAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 690,482, dated January'7, 1902. Application filed February 23, 1901. Serial No. 48,485. (Nomodel.)

To all whom, it may concern: Be it known that 1, AUGUST 0. TAPPE, acitizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county ofHamilton and State ofv having holding and non-slipping qualities andwhich will relieve the horse from jams and jars as it brings its weightdown on the ground or hard pavement.

My invention consists in a hoof-pad adapted to fit between the shoe andfoot of a horse, the upper portion serving as a cover for the foot andbeing composed of fibrous material, preferably leather, perforated toadmit air to the foot, the lower portion serving as a cushion or bufierand being composed of flexible material, preferably rubber, adapted toregister with and fit the cover and provided with a depending lowerportion fitting the inner edge of the shoe and depending below the treadportion thereof, said cushion being provided with a central externalopening leading by means of a narrow passage to an internal channel,whereby an air-cushion is formed and a suction created toprevent slipping.

. My invention also consists in certain novel features of theconstruction, combination, and arrangement of the several parts of theimproved pad,whereby important advantages are secured and thepad isrendered more economical and eifective and better adapted for thepurpose intended.

The novel features of the invention will be defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings,which serve to illustrate my invention,Figure 1 is a plan view of the lower side of my pad and horseshoe inplace thereon. Fig. 2 isa transverse section on'the line Y Y of Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line X X of Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a planof the upper side of the fiber cover, showing one means of fastening therubber cushion thereto and showing air-holes for admitting air to thehorses foot by the pressure of its weight upon the pad. Fig. 5 is amodified View of my invention, showing the heel portion extendedentirely across to be used in connection with a three-quarter shoe. I

I prefer to construct and arrange my improved pad substantially asfollows: Out a piece of leather or other fibrous material A in shape tofit the surface of a horses foot and perforate the leather, as shown inFig. 4, to permit the air to come in contact with the foot. Construct apiece of rubber or other flexible material B of similar shape havingitssurface made to correspond with the shape of the piece of leather A,above described, the outer surface I) being formed thin to furnish abearing for the horseshoe O and the inner portion being formed, as shownin Figs. 2, 3, and 5, of an elastic pneumatic cushion b, shaped to fitthe interior edge of the horseshoe and projectingbelow the surfacethereof, said cushion being produced by an undercut in therubber to forman interior channel or chamber 6 similar in shape to a small horseshoeand having a central external opening b separated from said chamber byoverlapping edges or walls b composing the inner wall of the undercut.The cushion being left open in the center provides effective meanswhereby slipping is prevented and afiords means for furnishing aconstant supply of fresh air to the horses foot. A narrow passage biisleft between the overlapping edges and leather cover to provide for thecirculation of air between the exterior opening 12 and internal channelI) and to allow of some play between the overlapping edges and the coverto furnish additional cushioning efiect by adding to the free movementof the overlapping edges or walls before coming in contact with theleather cover. These overlapping edges as soon as the weight of thehorse is brought down upon the cushion close upon the leather cover andprevent dirt and other extraneous substances from entering the interiorchamber. These overlapping edges or walls serve to relieve the shock andto strengthen the cushion,while at the same time reduce the amount ofmaterial necessary to secure the proper cushioning eflect. As the horsebrings its weight to bear on the cushion the overlapping edges pressagainst the cover and prevent the cushion from collapsing.

I The heel b of the pad is made of solid rubber or similar material andmay extend, as shown in Fig. 1 or Fig. 5, as desired, depending uponwhether a full-sized or three-quarter shoe is used. The rubber cushionand leather cover are secured together in anysuitable way, preferably bysewing. After they are secured together place in position and nail theshoe and pad upon the foot. As clearly seen in Fig. 3, the outertread-surface of the cushion extends slightly below the tread-surface ofthe shoe at its outer edge and gradually tapers downwardly toward thecenter to the edge of the central opening, the greater depth orthicknessof the cushion being around the central opening,so that as theweight of the horse comes upon the pad the force thereof is first uponthe inner surface and then gradually reaches the shoe after most of theforce of the stroke has been spent upon the cushion. As the horses footis brought down upon the cushion the air is drawn into the centralopening by suction,which has a tendency to hold the foot from slipping.In addition to the peculiar shape of the rubber, which is especiallyadapted and designed to prevent lateral or sidewise slipping,and toaugment this feature of non-slipping I provide a series of corrugationsrunning parallel with the shoe and intermediate between saidcorrugations and shoe a series of transverse grooves. As above stated,the overlapping edges of the cushion are a short distance away from theleather coverto permit of the free passage of air by the impact of thefoot upon the ground, and as the weight of the horse fully descends uponthe cushion these overlapping edges are brought into close contact withthe leather cover, whereby the entire chamber is closed and dirt andother substances are prevented from entering. The overlapping edgesserve to brace and strengthen the cushion-pad and produce a bellowsaction of forcing air in and out as the horses foot descends andascends. The weight of the animal when brought to bear upon the groundcrushes the elastic rubber cushion inward to the level of the shoe andcompresses the air imprisoned within the chamber formed by the undercutand overlappingedges,thus makingthe pad pneumatic, and as the foot islifted the pad will resume its original positionviz., stand out inadvance of the shoe, as shown in Fig. 2.

If desired, the elastic cushion may be applied to the foot without thefibrous cover; but I prefer to use the cover, since it protects thesensitive solo from coming in contact with the ground and preventsanyilleffects of the rubber upon the foot.

It will be seen that the air is compressed through the funnel-shapedopening into the interior chamber each time the pad is brought intoaction and the air also released each time the foot is raised.

From the above description it will be obvious that my pad is capable ofsome modification without material departure from the scope and spiritof my invention, and for this reason I do not wish to be understood aslimiting myself to the precise form and arrangement of the several partsas herein set forth.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. A hoof-pad comprisinga perforated fibrous cover and an elastic cushion having a dependingportion adapted to fit the inner edge of the shoe and having a centralopening leading, by means of a narrow passage,

to an internal channel formed around said AUGUST C. TAPPE.

Witnesses:

A. G. GREEN, JAMES N. RAMSEY.

